1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparel, and particularly to an adjustable air inlet for clothing to duct cooling airflow to critical areas of the body beneath the clothing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most conscientious motorcyclists wear relatively heavy protective clothing when riding, and such protective clothing is generally a regulatory requirement in most racing and competition venues. Such protective clothing is generally manufactured of leather, since the durability of natural leather is unsurpassed for protecting the wearer from abrasion and other minor injury in the event of an accident.
A major problem with leather is that it is essentially non-porous in its natural state, and serves as a reasonably good thermal insulator as well when provided in thicknesses sufficient to provide good protection in the event of an accident. While such properties are appreciated in cooler temperatures, most motorcyclists are active during the warmer months of the year, either on the road or in racing events. Wearing a full set of “leathers,” including a closed face helmet, gloves, and boots, while riding in very warm or hot temperatures, can rapidly dehydrate the motorcyclist and lead to heat exhaustion or at least greatly reduce the strength and reaction required of a motorcyclist, particularly when undergoing the exertion required in a racing event. Much the same is true of other protective clothing worn in other motorsports competition, e.g., Nomex® fire protective uniforms, etc.
As a result, various means of providing cooling to the person wearing such protective clothing have been developed in the past. A number of systems involving externally disposed cooling units, e.g., chilled water from an ice chest or refrigeration unit circulating through tubes installed within the suit, have been developed in the past. While such systems may be practicable for many automotive motorsports involving larger race cars having sufficient internal volume to carry such apparatus, they are clearly impracticable for motorcyclists, either on the street or in racing events. Simpler ventilation has been provided in helmets, jackets, and other garments, but most of these systems are either non-adjustable or require the removal or opening of some part of the garment via zippers, snaps, or other closure or attachment means. Moreover, such snap and zipper closures fail to provide any form of positive airflow inlet to duct fresh air into the garment.
Thus, an adjustable air inlet for clothing solving the aforementioned problems is desired.